I opened a DFSORT Application Programming Guide (I used 2.1) PDF and used the PDF-reader to search for 'mul,' (quotes not needed for the search) and readily located several examples of the use of multiple arithmetic operands.

If you don't specify a length (with LENGTH or an explicit EDIT mask) you get a default length. If you don't provide an explicit EDIT, you get a default mask.

"I" in an EDIT means "a blank if there is no significant digit encountered yet", so leading zeros you ask to be blank.

You need a + (or -) because that is how DFSORT will tell if you are specifying a numeric literal, or the (incomplete) start of a field definition.

I'm pretty sure the examples for 2.1 are the same as for 2.2, for instance, p136 in both documents:

Quote:

arexp,edit or (arexp),edit
specifies that the edited result of an arithmetic expression is to appear in the reformatted input record. The arithmetic expression can consist of input fields, decimal constants, operators and parentheses. An arithmetic expression produces a signed, 31-digit zoned decimal (ZD) result to be edited as specified.
See arexp,edit under OUTFIL OUTREC for details.

I would suggest keeping all the intermediate multiplication results in 2 bytes, so you don't have to figure out later which result has 2 digits and which one has 1 digit. Because you need to sum all of them later. It might add more work and confusion if you get rid of the blanks, and then try to figure out where each intermediate result starts.

So you can use TT...edits and read them as ZD in further computations or keep the IT...edits and read them as UFF, whichever works for you.

And multiple arithmetic operations can be carried out without having to define anything for intermediate results. The next operation is on "the current result" for as long as necessary without having to be concerned about it.

1. I learnt it later when I read about Mask.
2. I am aware of use of 'I' in EDIT
3. I didn't know, I was using arithmetic first the first in SORT - Thanks
4. Yes PDF has examples but always problem is discussed on different page. Ideally it should have link to go directly to the problem description by one click. It difficult to absorb example (sample) if problem is discussed on a different page.

Thanks for your comments. They helped to use PDF better.

Bill Woodger wrote:

If you don't specify a length (with LENGTH or an explicit EDIT mask) you get a default length. If you don't provide an explicit EDIT, you get a default mask.

"I" in an EDIT means "a blank if there is no significant digit encountered yet", so leading zeros you ask to be blank.

You need a + (or -) because that is how DFSORT will tell if you are specifying a numeric literal, or the (incomplete) start of a field definition.

I'm pretty sure the examples for 2.1 are the same as for 2.2, for instance, p136 in both documents:

Quote:

arexp,edit or (arexp),edit
specifies that the edited result of an arithmetic expression is to appear in the reformatted input record. The arithmetic expression can consist of input fields, decimal constants, operators and parentheses. An arithmetic expression produces a signed, 31-digit zoned decimal (ZD) result to be edited as specified.
See arexp,edit under OUTFIL OUTREC for details.

But I am afraid that is not what you were trying to achieve. Like Bill mentioned above, you can have multiple computations, just use braces to have meaningful results and then edit the final result as needed.

IFTHEN=(WHEN=INIT for an OVERLAY to give you the several multiply-by-two results (they are not "intermediate results" in the sense normally used), then another WHEN=INIT with the BUILD to ADD all the digits that you need (odd-number from original location, even-numbered from the location OVERLAYed to) and then multiply that by +9.

How will I deal with space when result of multiplication is only 1 digit.

Code:

1,1,UFF,MUL,+2,EDIT(IT)

How will I ignore space to pick up digits to sum in OUTREC (second IFTHEN).

Rohit was using FIND and REPLACE

Code:

OUTREC FINDREP=(INOUT=(C' ',C''))

Thanks.

Bill Woodger wrote:

IFTHEN=(WHEN=INIT for an OVERLAY to give you the several multiply-by-two results (they are not "intermediate results" in the sense normally used), then another WHEN=INIT with the BUILD to ADD all the digits that you need (odd-number from original location, even-numbered from the location OVERLAYed to) and then multiply that by +9.